The Carnelian Tyranny: Savino’s Revenge (20 page)

At the far end of the hall near the throne platform, members of the Fiore and Macario families had been assembled. Their hands were manacled together and twelve large warriors guarded them on all sides. A blond young man was seated on the throne in front of them, scrutinizing each prisoner with his piercing blue
eyes.

Moving up closer, Marisa slipped behind a pillar and slowly leaned out. As her eyes narrowed at her cousin, she gasped in horror. No one else in the hall seemed to notice a difference in Savino’s outward appearance but what she saw sent a chill down her s
pine.

Floating in the air above him were three gigantic, lizard-like creatures that controlled his movements with strings like a marionette. Grayish-green in color, the monsters’ skins were pebbly and shriveled, their webbed wings broken. When they opened their hideous mouths, sharp fangs protruded over their bony jaws. The largest of the three directed the other two with sharp talons that sliced through the air and tugged at the strings. An ominous, red mist hung in the air around them, filling the hall with the pungent odor of sulfur dioxide. When the smell reached Marisa’s nostrils, it made her stomach churn, but the others standing in front of Savino didn’t seem to notic
e it.

Covering her mouth in shock, she struggled to comprehend the realness of what she was seeing. The Ambrogia stone around her neck flashed wildly with light, and instinctively she knew that in addition to the power to make her invisible, it had also given her the ability to see the physical manifestation of evil beings in the spiritual dimen
sion.

Remembering Celino’s instructions for her to get in and assess the situation, she took a deep breath and directed her attention to the front of the hall. Her glimpse into the spiritual world was providing her with a clear assessment of the situation, and it wasn’t
good.

Arrie, Cozimo, Tino, Helena and Cinzia all stood with their backs to her. Her uncle, Mark and Eman stood the farthest away from her, all three of them looking haggard and tired. Everyone seemed oblivious to the terrifying beasts that hovered above Savino and Marisa couldn’t tell if the demonic creatures were able to see her or not. For the moment, she thought it was best if she stay hi
dden.

“Where is she?” Savino demanded, staring into each of their faces. The gigantic, ugly creature pulled the string back and forth, controlling his to
ngue.

No one answ
ered.

“Your silence is futile. My men will search this castle level by level and chamber by chamber until we have found her. It is only a matter of
time.”

To Marisa’s surprise, Eman’s head turned to face her and their eyes locked. She gave him a questioning glance, but he just smiled at her, his eyes conveying a warm greeting before shifting back toward Sa
vino.

“Regardless of your resistance to reveal the whereabouts of the traitor, you shall honor your future king by attending my coronation just a few days hence. From this moment on, you are to refer to me as His Majesty, King Savino da Rocha, and Supreme Ruler of Carn
elia.”

Helena sniffled, bowing her head in ang
uish.

Savino stopped and gazed at her in passing but continued his speech, unmoved by her tears. “Each of you shall be confined to your chambers until further notice. Traitors who choose to defy my rules or try to escape will be executed immediately. No except
ions.”

When Savino motioned to the warriors to take the prisoners away, the gargantuan soldiers herded the group out of the hall and up the stairs to their chambers. He leaned forward, his hands clasped together over his knees as he bowed his head in deep tho
ught.

Marisa was torn between staying with Savino and following the rest of her family upstairs. She wanted to go let her uncle and brother know that she was all right, but, at the same time, she had to discover what Savino was planning. She decided to stay in the
hall.

At that moment, the main door opened. Savino looked up at the middle-aged man being escorted into the room by a familiar, copper-haired war
rior.

“Lord Raniero to see you, Your Majesty,” Talvan annou
nced.

Lord Ran
iero?

She tried to remember where she had heard that name before. A wave of anger slowly spread through her chest when at last it finally hit
her.

“Ah, Lord Raniero,” Savino purred. “Let us adjoin to the Crimson antecha
mber.”

Motioning for him to follow, he led his guest into the side room as Talvan nodded and spun around, exiting through the main door. When he was gone, Marisa hurried over, slipping into the chamber just before Savino shut the
door.

“Please, sit,” he offered, pulling out a chair for his g
uest.

The creatures above him seemed to grow agitated, panting and bobbing in a strange sort of frenzy. They moved to a corner of the ceiling farthest from her, cowering and sha
king.

“Lord Raniero, at last we have the opportunity to discuss the events of late,” Savino began, pouring two glasses of wine from a crystal decanter. With great ceremony he set a glass down in front of Raniero and took a seat beside him. “Please b
egin.”

Marisa approached the middle-aged nobleman and leaned in close, finally getting a good look at her mother’s murd
erer.

CHAPTER 20

RANIERO

A sophisticated man somewhere in his early fifties, Raniero’s outward appearance could not have been mistaken for anything but aristocratic. Although he appeared gentlemanly in his manner, Marisa knew that he could not be tru
sted.

“Your Royal Highness, at your father’s insist
ence—”

“Ah, ah, ah—” Savino interrupted, wagging a finger at
him.

Raniero clenched his jaw. “My apologies.
Your Maj
esty
…”

“G
o on.”

“At your father’s insistence, I traveled with Queen Elyse and the royal family aboard the
Carnelian
. As I relayed to you earlier, our ship sailed into a mysterious portal that transported all of us into a strange world. As they built up new lives in this new world, I managed to gain their trust. Then I successfully disposed of the queen and withdrew completely from their commu
nity.”

“Yes, yes—I am already aware of all this,” Savino interrupted, waving impatiently. “Just skip to the events of
late.”

“Although they thought they were rid of me, I continued to follow Princess Maraya and Prince Marcus, closely monitoring their movements and waiting for the opportunity when I might find them alone. Then, on the day of Prince Alano’s burial, the princess went out riding into the forest alone. I followed her there, but just as I was about to strike, there were great flashes of lightning and another mysterious storm swallowed her up. She just disappeared right in front of my own
eyes.

“There was no trace of her anywhere and I was forced to conclude that she had met a similar fate as we all had years before on board the
Carnelian
. With her neat disposal, I shifted my focus onto Prince Marcus and Baron Alessio, shadowing them ins
tead.

“But then, only days later, a stranger appeared at their doorstep, a man about my age. They invited him into their house as I listened outside their window. He explained to Baron Macario that the princess had been transported to Carnelia through the mysterious portal. He told them that it was imperative that both he and Prince Marcus return with him to Carnelia. After some discussion, I heard them agree to meet the stranger later on. I waited all day, following them into the woods that evening. They just stood there, waiting for something to ha
ppen.

“Then there were lightning flashes and a great whirl of wind. As soon as the prince, his uncle and the stranger were lifted up by the mysterious wind, I leapt out of the bushes and straight into the cyclone. I was caught up in it, and, for a few minutes, everything was first blue and then black before I was finally dropped onto the forest f
loor.

“When I saw that the others had landed on the ground just a short distance away, I scrambled into the bushes. Almost instantly, I recognized the woods where I used to hunt. I knew that we had arrived back in Carn
elia.”

Savino listened silently as the ugly creatures tugged at the network of strings, steering his thoughts and words. He twisted the signet ring around his finger, staring absently into space. “Did any of them see
you?”

“No,
Sire.”

“And who is this stranger of whom you speak—the one that brought them back into our world? What do you know of
him?”

“I have never seen this man, but he was knowledgeable in the portal between worlds. He knew precisely where to go and at what time. I do not know if he is from their world or from ours, but he is a learned man of some sort—a sorcerer, I bel
ieve.”

Savino perked up. “A sorc
erer?”

“Not an Apollyon. One of another order, per
haps.”

“At Princess Maraya’s birthday ball after they bound me in iron cuffs, I heard them discussing someone called Celino. Perhaps he is the man we are looking
for?”

Marisa sucked in her breath. If Savino found out where Celino lived, then Adalina was a good as dead. They didn’t have twenty-four hours anymore. She had to get back and warn them before Savino connected the
dots.

“Sire, since Maraya and Marcus are still alive, I am fully aware that my contract to your father has not yet been fulfilled. But I swear to you now that it shal
l be.”

He hesitated, brushing some lint from his tunic before lifting his gaze to meet his host’s. “And, in return, may I assume that you intend to honor your father’s agree
ment?”

Savino rose to his feet, smiling wickedly. “Thank you, Lord Raniero, for your unwavering loyalty to the da Rocha family. Once the very last Fiore has been disposed of, you will be rewarded for your efforts, with the additional bonus of knight
hood.”

“Thank you, Sire. You are truly magnani
mous.”

When Savino extended his hand to signal the meeting was over, Raniero stepped up to kiss the blood-colored stone of the Carnelian signet
ring.

“Until next time, Your Majesty,” he said with a nod, quickly leaving the cha
mber.

Savino sank back into his chair and leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table with his fingers intertwined. “Too many intrigues can make a man weary,” he whispered softly to him
self.

Marisa studied him carefully, circling around the table to view him at all angles before finally stopping just a few feet away. This man who she had once considered marrying was too evil, too awful to even be considered a human being and the last person she would ever want to call ‘co
usin.’

Without warning, he rose from his chair and strode back into the Knight’s Hall. Marisa followed a few steps behind as he climbed the main staircase and strode down the corridor. The creatures floating above him seemed to become even more agitated the closer she
got.

Entering the royal chambers, Savino’s gaze roamed the room slowly, as if he was searching for something. The creatures hovered high above him just under an arch and near the cei
ling.

Marisa spotted Darian’s suit of armor in the corner and realized they were in his chambers. She balled her fists at her sides, angry that Savino had been so bold as to take this particular room as his
own.

He removed his shoes and lay down on the bed with an audible sigh. His eyelids drooped for a few seconds before finally closing. He dozed off, snoring lig
htly.

The creatures high above hovered in their place near the ceiling, but she wasn’t afraid of them anymore. Her eyes scanned the room, stopping on a large wooden box on the dresser. It looked like something Darian would use to keep his pins and medals safely tucked away. She glanced over her shoulder. Savino was still asleep, snoring even louder than before. She crept over to peek in
side.

Slowly opening the lid of the box, she gawked at the broad collection of military insignia, jewelry and pins. There were several rings displayed neatly in the top level of the box, but she couldn’t tell one from another. Some looked as if they contained precious jewels or stones and some had coat-of-arms and military mark
ings.

With each piece appearing as if it might be a valuable heirloom, she started to panic, afraid of swapping out one of Darian’s favorite rings by mistake.
Just pick
one!

Grabbing a gold signet that appeared similar in size, weight and texture to the Carnelian signet ring, she closed the box quietly and crept over to the bed. Kneeling down next to it, her hands trembled as she wiped her sweaty palms on the blanket. She grasped the ring on Savino’s thumb and slipped it off easily. He moved slightly, mumbling in his sleep as she quickly slipped Darian’s ring on his thumb and prayed that he wouldn’t wak
e up.

Without a sound, she rose to her feet and stood there for a moment, watching him as he slept peacefully. He was still handsome, but the hollows under his cheekbones were sunken and the angles of his face appeared sharper. He looked as if he had lost a lot of weight in the weeks since her birthday ball. He had dark circles under his eyes and he looked pale from exhaus
tion.

Watching his chest rise and fall, Marisa suddenly took pity on him. Somehow his boyish appearance no longer seemed monster-like, but more like a misguided young man who had simply chosen the wrong
path.

Closing her fist around the Carnelian ring, she tiptoed silently toward the door and opened it slowly, wincing as it squeaked on its hinges. When the bed behind her creaked, she glanced over her shoulder and her eyes met Savi
no’s.

He was sitting up in bed, wide-awake and staring at the open door with a stunned expression. His eyes narrowed in fury as he sprang from the bed and rushed toward the door. She leapt into the corridor just before Savino’s head popped out from the doo
rway.

“Guards! Did you see anyone leaving my cham
bers?”

His face was mere inches from her own. She flattened herself against the wall, coughing as she shrunk away from the thick cloud of sulfurous
gas.

“No, Your Majesty, no
one.”

“Well, then, why is my door
ajar?”

“Perhaps the wind blew it open,” the older guard sugge
sted.

Savino’s eyes were like daggers. “Don’t be ridiculous, man! What sort of fool do you take me for? There is no wind in here! Am I dealing with complete idiots?” He spun on his heel, entered the chambers and slammed the door, bolting it from the in
side.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Marisa turned to leave, smacking right into a warrior’s polished bronze breastp
late.

“Princess Maraya?” It was Ta
lvan.

Stunned by his puzzled face towering above her, Marisa’s jaw dropped. She shook her head in protest, begging him not to give her away. “No! Pl
ease!”

The younger guard perked up. “Sir, are you speaking t
o us?”

Talvan turned to him, not missing a beat. “Are you two deaf? Who else would I be speaking to?” he barked. “I asked if there was any sign of Princess Ma
raya!”

“Sorry, sir! No sign of her. We have not seen an
yone.”

“As you
were!”

Her gaze locked on the copper-haired warrior’s face and she smiled. With eyes of liquid amber that revealed the same compassion he had shown at the Mychen Forest, she knew she could trust
him.

“Talvan, I know you can hear me,” she said, eyeing the guards between syllables. “I don’t have time to explain, but the other warriors can’t see or hear me. I need to find Prince Marcus. Can you take me to
him?”

The bearded giant nodded imperceptibly and strode down the hall to the door being guarded by the two warriors. The older man stood to attention, the younger guard following suit and fidgeting nervo
usly.

“Open the door, soldier!” he bell
owed.

“Yes, sir!” The keys jangled in the older man’s hand as he fumbled with them nervously, trying to find the right
one.

Opening it, he smiled proudly at Talvan, but the coppery giant said nothing as he pushed past him. Once Marisa slipped in behind, Talvan slammed the door in the soldier’s bewildered
face.

Mark jumped up from where he had been lying on the
bed.

“M
aris—”

She clapped a hand over his mouth, motioning for him to be silent. “Mark, just listen—we’ve got to get you out of here. I’m wearing the amulet that Eman gave me. It makes me invisible to evil men like Savino and most of the warriors except Talvan here. I used it to escape from Beauriél after you, Uncle Al and Eman were ca
ught.”

“Seriously? You’re
invisible?
That’s so
cool!”

“Mark—focus!” She glared at him in exasperation. “Now, Celino is gonna get you and Adalina out on a ship leaving for Terracina tomorrow morning. You’ve got to reach King Bertoldo’s palace and convince his Lord Chamberlain to send the army. Celino will explain the rest, but, for now, I’ve got to get us out of here without getting caught. Talvan, can you
help?”

“I think so, Your Highness but we will need a laundry
sack.”

“I saw one in the closet,” Mark said, opening the wardrobe. “Is this what you mean?” He held up a thick burlap
bag.

She smiled. “That’ll
work.”

Out in the corridor, the younger guard was arguing with the older man about something. As the door behind them burst open, both men jumped aside. Talvan emerged, carrying a stuffed laundry
sack.

“Doesn’t anyone ever change the sheets around here?” he shouted ang
rily.